The Whole World Smiles with Yu
by wolfern
Summary: The triple-chapter prequel to Causing Chaos. Why was Alex dressed as an emo in the tropics?
1. Chapter 1

The Whole World Smiles with Yu

Disclaimer: If I _owned _Alex Rider, do you think I'd publish it on FFNET? No! I'd sell it for lots and lots of money! Unfortunately, by some twist of fate, the Powers That Be have decided that I shall not own Alex Rider, be super-rich or have that cute black and blue stripy heffalump I've always wanted… damn.

A/N: Well, yet another story. This one is dedicated to AresScarletRaven, who was anonymous and asked me about why he needed to go 'punk in the tropics'. Well, here's your answer.

Chapter 1

Our Hero's story begins high in the sky – on a plane. The plane was flying to a currently unnamed island which so happened to be in the middle of the English Channel.

Alex had been sent to investigate a new multimillionaire named Danny Yu, whom MI6 suspected of brainwashing people. The man claimed in his advertisements that he could 'make anyone happy'.

When perused by MI6 staff, the case studies seemed too good to be true. However, making people happy, whatever the cause, was of no concern to the Heads. The problem arose in the victims – that is, patients. All of them were either powerful or had strong connections to powerful people.

MI6 suspected foul play – that the Smile Man, as Danny Yu was called, was brainwashing his victims to do other, less legal things. There had been a string of reports of previous clients being implicated in assassinations, brazen robberies and multi-million-dollar white-collar crimes where they had suffered 'suicide-by-cop', thus being unable to relate how or, more importantly, why they had committed such crimes. Interestingly, some of them, as they lay in a pool of their own blood, still had beatific smiles and, despite the terrible pain and fear they must have experienced, whispered of how happy, truly happy, they were.

(OoO)

As the plane touched down, Alex noticed the island's environment was that of a tropical rainforest. The air was warm and sticky, with the promise of plenty of mosquitoes to add to Alex's discomfort. Large trees swayed lethargically in a tiny breeze, and the air was so thick it was hard for Alex to even think about moving quickly. He lowered himself slowly to the ground.

This was not Alex' idea of climate control. Warmer was good, yes, but not oppressively warm _and _sticky.

Since the island was nowhere near the equator, Our Hero asked the pilot how it could have a tropical climate. Pointing the dome above their heads that Alex had not noticed, the pilot told him that in order to get people as happy as possible, a 'happy climate' was required. The Smile Man had installed an artificial climate controller to achieve this.

Clearly, _he_ lived in an air-conditioned part of the island. Either that or he was simply mad. The latter wouldn't come as much of a surprise.

(OoO)

On this mission, Alex was disguised as an emo – the saddest of the sad. He was pretending to be the son of a wealthy and reclusive business man who was never home to see his son.

The Smile Man welcomed him with a beaming smile. "Welcome, Gavrilo, to the Happy Isle. HI!" he let out a bark of laughter at his own joke.

Alex listened carefully to the Smile Man introducing him to the program. The man was eyeing him like a dog eyes its food. He offhandedly informed Alex of the weekly check-ups Alex would have with him, to 'see how he was going', and to 'have a little chat'.

Our spy shivered as he realised his first check-up would be in just one week.

(OoO)

At dinner, Alex chatted with some of the 'success stories'. They were all smiling, and many were creepily cheerful.

He didn't have anything against happy people, oh no, but these people were plain _weird_. He couldn't help but feel apprehensive every time they smiled an _extra large _smile at him, or broke into loud laughter for no reason. It didn't feel happy, the way they kept glancing at each other, as if sharing a private joke which was simply _hilarious_. It felt sinister.

Alex observed that they were also unnervingly devoted to their 'master'. They were how Hermione is to books, McGonagall to Dumbledore. They were robots; slaves. Mindless, hopelessly devoted robot slaves.

He was disturbed.

(OoO)

Later, while the Smile Man was giving a speech, he – smugly, noted Alex, as though he was showing off – ordered a 'success story' to catch a meat cleaver thrown at him. Apparently, it would show how happy and optimistic he had become. As our Hero watched, he noticed the man did not hesitate to catch, one-handed, the meat cleaver. By the blade.

He filmed the disturbing incident with the black sunglasses hanging from his shirt pocket – provided, naturally, by Smithers.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The week passed and Alex gained more proof of something strange going on.

The Smile Man watched his patients. For any doctor, this was probably a normal occurrence, but Alex quickly grew paranoid about the frequent sightings of cameras – in the seemingly harmless palm trees, the innocuous umbrella stands by the pool, even positioned on the lights of the bathroom.

However, much as he despised the 'big brother' effect, he forced himself not to glare accusingly at the lights while doing his business. For one, it hurt his eyes.

Also, the many 'bonding sessions' in the rainforest made him extra glad for the extra-strength STINGO ™ (which actually _repelled _mosquitoes this time) Smithers had given him.

These sessions, however, didn't seem to have a point. They supposedly helped the patients learn to work together and form strong bonds with each other, but Alex really didn't see how trying to outrun giant boulders down a large and very steep mountain could possibly help.

The Smile Man definitely didn't, standing on the sidelines or at the finish line smiling gleefully as his patients hurtled down towards him (most of them still grinning, apparently in exhilaration).

Alex could see Danny Yu was a prideful man who enjoyed revelling in his success. Sadly, Alex could feel no success at outrunning the boulders.

He had made an – almost – friend when first arriving on the island. Danilo Ilic was not a bad person, he decided, even if he was a little spoilt. At least, that was how he had been when Alex had first met him.

Now? Well, he had definitely changed. Alex looked morosely at his once-friend, who was almost dancing with excitement, waiting for the boulder to be set after them.

It had been five days until Danilo's first check-up when Alex had met the bored young man. Danilo had not been looking forward to it. He had noticed the weirdness of the island – had put it down to paranoia, really – and was more than a little creeped out by the Smile Man. But after the appointment, Danilo could be heard singing the praises of the man, and was his staunchest supporter.

_I hope brainwashing can be reversed_, thought Alex. It was after this piece of evidence, acquired just before his own check-up, that Alex decided the check-ups were the sessions in which patients were brainwashed.

He had enough proof to prosecute the man and had devised an escape plan. It was foolproof. He hoped.

(OoO)

Alex entered the Smile Man's Lair, his special sunglasses hanging casually from his shirt pocket.

As the Smile Man tied his hands behind his back, he dropped his kind façade and started smiling maniacally.

Stepping back, he grinned at Alex and boasted to him (as all super-villains seemed to do) of his master plan. Really, were they that bad at keeping their mouths shut? But then again, this _was_ the Smile Man.

"They say I must have had a wonderful childhood. They say I must be trying to bring that childhood glory to the people who need it. Hah! What do _they_ know?"

Alex sighed. It seemed like this monologue would be a long one. At least he could use the extra time for removing the rope around his wrists.

The man continued, oblivious to Alex's awesome cunningness.

"My childhood was not happy. How could it be? I am Asian. I have never been sporty, and have always been into academia. I am a nerd, something the other children always took great pleasure in reminding me.

"My father left before I was born. Because of this, my mother took anti-depressants, but she still managed to take her frustrations out on me when I came home from school.

"Do you know what it's like to be beaten? Do you know what it feels like to have your mother, the one person who is supposed to protect you, scratch you and spit at your face and blame you for all _her_ troubles?

"I retreated into myself and focused more and more on my studies. My grades got better, but my mother didn't care. Oh no, in fact it was the opposite. She expected even more. The beatings and insults got worse. By the time I reached high school, my mother was not the only one in the house taking anti-depressants regularly.

"Who would have thought that I, of all people, would want to make people happy?

"You sad people have come to my island at the behest of your loving, devoted and most importantly, powerful parents."

His face twisted into an ugly grimace, a startling contrast to the friendly but somehow ominous look he had been wearing for the majority of Alex's time on the island.

"How can you be so ungrateful? What I would have given to be in one of your families!

"But that is all over now. Some would have sulked for the rest of their lives, but not me. I have gotten over such trivial things."

Alex inwardly scoffed. _Yeah, right._

"I am a good person, whatever my mother said. That means I want others to be happy. So what if they are brainwashed to be happy? They don't know that! All you'll remember is that we had a nice chat and you became happy.

That is all.

"But of course, what is the point of brainwashing others to be just happy? I mean, I might as well use it for something. No point letting it go to waste – my mother never would have stood for that. So why not get revenge?

"Let me tell you; revenge is definitely sweet. Once I have killed – or rather, once my brainwashed patients have destroyed my childhood 'friends', I will be happy; happy for the very first time. It is a goal worthy of the genius I am."

He paused, as if waiting for approval. Finding none, he continued petulantly, almost as if trying to convince himself. "I am a good man. I am getting rid of all the bullies in the world. Is that not an admirable aim to have?

"You are my 24th patient, and one of my most powerful. Your father will certainly have people at his disposal – and yours – that will kill those who killed my childhood. My happiness is your success. Don't stop me now. Make another one bite the dust. Play the game, Gavrilo, and show them the loser doesn't always have to fall."

As soon as Yu finished his speech, Alex leaped up spectacularly, his bonds falling to the ground as he wielded a long knife. Seriously, what kind of villain didn't check patients for weapons before bringing them to their secret lair?

The Smile Man's jaw dropped. His eyes bugged out.

"I eat wide-mouthed frogs," Alex stage-whispered dramatically, his own eyes widened to look more intimidating.

Now our Hero's adversary looked puzzled and slightly discombobulated. "Wha–?"

Alex sighed and gave him an uppercut to the jaw, knocking the man out. What was wrong with his dramatic statements? They worked for Bond.

Whistling the tune of Crazy Frog, he ambled out the door, hands in his pockets, and made his way to the Smile Man's boat moored on the pristine white jetty.

He fervently prayed it was air-conditioned.


	3. Epilogue

Epilogue

As Alex jumped in, he programmed the internal GPS to navigate to England. Thank God the boat had one, though he really couldn't imagine the Smile Man trying to steer a boat.

He chanced a look around and noticed the Smile Man's disciples chasing him in jet skis. They were a lot faster than – he checked the name on the side of the boat – Moby Dick.

Pacing anxiously, he had just spotted the lovely, non-golden shores of England when "BANG!" the men shot the fuel tank.

"Shit!" he swore. Thinking quickly, he jumped into the sea just in time before Moby Dick exploded.

The white whale was no more.

The minions, thinking he was dead, turned around and left him to swim the remaining 2km to his home country.

_Great_, he thought sourly. _Just great._

(OoO)

After swimming what seemed like the longest swim of his life, Alex now had to make his way to the Royal and General. Of course, he _could _dry off first, but he wanted revenge. After all, it _was _sweet.

Blunt would know his displeasure. It would come in the form of . . . footprints.

"MUWAHAHAHA!" he laughed suddenly.

People around him, already giving this wet and obviously brooding stranger a wide berth, shrank away a few more metres.

It was not a good combination, being wet, brooding _and_ insane; not good at all.

(OoO)

Our Hero squelched, dripping wet, through the doors of the Royal and General, ignoring the gaping agents around him.

His narrowed eyes dared anyone – _anyone – _to laugh.

Oh, how he hated tropical places. They were so . . . _wet_.

**THE END**

* * *

A/N: Well, my first multi-chapter story is complete. Like it? Hate it? Don't care? Leave your comments in a review, please!


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